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Establish a mutual agreement

If you have a regular sleeping partner, be sure that both of you want to sleep with your baby. If one person feels ambivalent, try it for a set amount of time and then reassess the situation. Remember, co-sleeping only works if it suits every member of your family.

Get a big bed

Co-sleeping isn't going to be as comfortable or enjoyable if your bed is too small. King-size is best, but if your budget (or bedroom!) doesn't stretch that far, consider buying a bedside cot (one which you can attach to the side of your bed) or putting a normal cot up against your bed with the side down. Although it's not crucial, you'll have an easier time touching or soothing your baby if you can adjust his mattress to the same height as yours. This approach works well if your baby is a wriggler -- he's still at arm's length, but not kicking you all night long.

Make sure your mattress is safe

Make sure your mattress is firm. Your baby could suffocate or overheat if he sleeps on a soft mattress or is surrounded by pillows and loose bedding. If your bed has a frame, a headboard or is against a wall, make sure there is a tight fit between the mattress and the frame, headboard or wall so that there is no risk of your baby falling into the gap.

Keep bedding light and minimal

If you're co-sleeping with a baby younger than 12 months old, use as few blankets as possible and make sure they're lightweight to reduce your baby's risk of smothering or overheating. (This is most likely to happen during his first three months of life; from three to 10 months, his biggest risk is slipping into a crevice between the mattress and bed frame, headboard or wall.) He could also get wedged against an extra pillow or a stuffed toy, so keep those out of your bed, too.

Never co-sleep on a sofa or waterbed

Don't co-sleep on a sofa as your baby could get wedged in the cracks between the cushions or between you and the back of the couch. Waterbeds are too soft and may have deep crevices around the frame where your baby could get trapped. Plus, your body movements could be enough to send your baby flying off the bed!

Keep him warm, not hot

Dress or swaddle your baby lightly for sleep because contact with other bodies elevates his skin temperature. Here's a good rule of thumb: if you're comfortable, then your baby probably is, too.

Don't let your baby sleep on a pillow or with his head covered

Never put your baby down to sleep on top of a pillow because he risks rolling off it or smothering in its soft folds. And periodically check on him to make sure he hasn't wriggled down so that his head is covered by the blanket or duvet. This could lead to overheating or difficulty breathing.

Never let infants and toddlers sleep next to each other

You can share a bed with both an infant and a toddler as long as they don't sleep next to each other. Toddlers don't understand that an infant can't protect himself from suffocation, and your older child could inadvertently roll over onto the infant or put an arm across his mouth or head. Toddlers tend to be big-time squirmers, too, which means your older child could accidentally hit or kick your infant. For the same reasons, you shouldn't let an infant and a toddler sleep alone together in the same bed. You or your partner should sleep between the children, instead.

Don't leave him alone on the bed

While your baby may be safe sleeping between you and your partner, he could easily fall out of the bed if you get up to use the loo or if you get out of bed earlier in the morning. Many parents put pillows either side of their baby when they leave them asleep and unattended, but this isn't ideal as your baby could roll into them and get overheated and/or have difficulty breathing. Ideally, buy a bed rail to attach to the side of the bed or put him in a safe place, such as a Moses basket or cot, while you are out of the room.

Don't co-sleep if you have a sleep disorder

A sleep disorder, such as sleep apnoea, may make you sleep so deeply that you're at risk of not awakening if you roll onto your baby.

Don't smoke if you co-sleep

Parents who smoke should not co-sleep. Nobody knows exactly why, but when smokers sleep with their babies, the risk of cot death is higher.

Don't drink or take drugs if you co-sleep

Drugs and alcohol can impair your memory and cause you to forget that your baby is in your bed. They can also cause you to sleep so soundly that you may not realise it if you roll over on your baby. To avoid these serious safety risks, don't drink or take drugs if you co-sleep, and always make sure both you and your partner are aware that your baby is in the bed.

Be flexible

Is co-sleeping right for all children and all adults? Probably not. There's no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to sleeping arrangements for you and your child. Some parents like to sleep with their children and some don't. Some children need more night-time comfort and companionship than others. Also, not every child wants to sleep all night, every night, with his parents. It may take some trial and error, but eventually you'll find a method that works for you, your partner, and your baby.